Electrical connector with multiple release mechanism



R. E. WILSON July 10, 1962 3 SheetsSheet 2 Filed Sept. 25, 1958 IN VEN TOR.

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ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR WITH MULTIPLE RELEASE MECHANISM July 10, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Sept. 25, 1958 JNVENTOR. ROBE/e7 E: MASON BY flrroelvsys.

il nited States Patent f 3,043,925 ELECTRIQ IL C(BNNECTOR WITH MULTIPLE RELEASE MECHANISM I Robert E. Wilson, Pasadena, Calif., assignor to Cannon Eiectiic Company, Los Angeles, Calif., a corporation of (Ialiiornia Filed Sept. 25, 1958, Ser. No. 763,382 17 Claims. (Cl. 200-51) This invention relates to electrical connectors and more particularly to means for disengaging the receptacle and plug members of an electrical connector. The invention is especially advantageous when embodied in a design for use in power, lighting, signal, studio, sound, television, and other industrial applications where a heavy duty connector is required.

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved release mechanism which may be adapted to instantaneously disengage a receptacle member and a plug member of an electrical connector upon application to the release mechanism of manual force or fluid pressure. The release mechanism may be operatively associated with electrical impulse devices for actuation by pneumatic pressure, hydraulic pressure or explosive generated gas pressure.

Another object of this invention is to provide a release mechanism of the above mentioned character which may serve to draw together a receptacle member and a plug member of a heavy duty connector for interengagement of respective electrical contact elements of the connector members.

A further object is to provide an electrical connector in which one of its members (receptacle or plug) includes a retractable body of electrical contact elements for making and breaking a multiplicity of independent electrical circuits through the connector as with a release mechanism of the above mentioned character.

A general object of this invention is to provide an electrical connector for heavy duty purposes and adapted for quick and positive release of interengaged contact elements thereof, and which is reliable in operation and will withstand the rugged field service usually associated with such connectors.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will appear during the course of the following part of this specification wherein the details of construction and mode of operation of a preferred embodiment are described with reference to the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of an electrical connector embodying this invention, showing the receptacle and plug members thereof joined, the receptacle member being shown in section;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to that of FIG. 1, but showing the receptacle and plug members separated;

ice

shown an electrical connector, designed for heavy duty service, and comprising a receptacle member 15 and a plug member 16. The plug member contains a plurality of pin contact elements or terminals 17 and the receptacle member contains a corresponding number of sets of socket contact elements or terminals 18 and 19, the connector members being so designed that when joined together, the pin terminals of the plug member will mate with respective sets of socket terminals of the receptacle toprovidea multiplicity of independent electrical circuits. It is to be understood, of course, that pin terminals may be in the receptacle and socket terminals in the plug.

The plug connector member comprises a shell 22 having an insulation body 23 secured therein for mounting the pin terminals which extend in an axial direction beyond a forward face 24 of the insulation body, the body being formed, of a front block 25 and a rear block 26 secured together in face to face engagement. There is an enlargement 27 on each pin terminal for retaining the terminal in the insulation body against being pulled out therefrom.

A tubular elbow 29 having a union 30 is mounted upon the plug shell as with screws 31, for leading a cable 32 of conductor wires 33 into the shell where the ends of the conductor wires are soldered or crimped'to the inner ends of the pin terminals respectively. The plug shell has an opening 34 in the rear wall thereof for receiving a release mechanism, designated generally by reference numeral 35, and having a barrel 36 which extends axially through the shell and through the insulation body 23 for connection to the receptacle member as will be explained hereinafter.

The release mechanism operates to disengage the contact elements of the receptacle from those of the plug. It is contemplated that in many embodiments of this invention the release mechanism will operate to disengage the receptacle entirely from the plug as appears in FIG. 2 of the drawing. Again, for extra heavy connectors, one of the connector members may have a pair of insulation blocks, one of which is movable toward and away from the other to engage or disengage respective contact elements thereof, whereby operation of the release mechanism will cause such insulation blocks to become separated for breaking the plurality of circuits without actually removing the plug from the receptacle. The receptacle connector member of the illustrated em- 'bodiment is of the type having separable insulation blocks.

Such receptacle member 15 comprises an open shell 39 having an outer flange 40 for mounting the receptacle in a panel (not shown) or other support to receive the plug member. Shell 39 has an inside rabbet 41 formed within its forward end portion for receiving a front insulation body 42 formed of a front block 43 and a rear block 44 of being shown in section along a central horizontal plane through the connector;

FIG. 4 is a transverse section taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 1;

arranged in face to face engagement and having axially aligned bores 45 for receiving the socket contacts 19. Each bore 45 has an annular enlargement 46 for accommodating a female end portion 47 of the socket contact 19. The socket contact also includes a pin portion 48 extending rearwardly beyond the rear block 44 for mating in respective socket terminals 18 of a movable insulation body 49.. I

At its rearward end the shell 39 of the receptacle member has inwardly extending lugs 51 through which a plurality of fasteners or bolts 52 extend for holding the front insulation body 42 against a gasket 53 in the rabbet 41 thus to secure the front insulation body immovably and fluid-tight in the forward end of the receptacle shell.

The movable insulation body 49 has bores 55 through which the bolts 52 pass. Each bore 55 has a counterbore 56 opening in the front face of the insulation body and receiving a collet 57 for a spring 58 around a bolt 52, one end of the spring bearing against a washer 59 recessed in i has an annular flange :83 which is disposed in the annular the rearward face of the stationary insulation body, while the other end of the spring bears against the bottom of the counterbore to urge the movable insulation body 49 away from the stationary body 42. The movable insulation body mounts the socket terminals .18 in axial alignment with the socket contacts 1'9 whereby the terminals and contacts will be interengaged when the insulation body 49 is moved toward the stationary insulation body as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, and the terminalsand c ntacts will become separated when the body 49 is moved by pressure of the springs 58 away from the stationary body 42 as shown in FIGS. 2 and 7. t

The socket terminals 18 are connected to the ends of conductor wires 60. Each of the insulation bodies 4-2 and 7 lease .mechanism 35, it comprises a housing 65 formed of an adapter portion 66 which is internally screw-threaded at 67 for receiving a rear portion 68 of the housing, said housing portions defining a cylindrical chamber 69 there in. An annular flange 70 is integral with the adapter portion of the housing to mount the housing in the opening 34 of the plug shell 2 2r as with screws 71. The barrel 3 6 of the release mechaism extends-from within the housing 65 through a forward end opening 72 of the housing; and through a centrally arranged opening in the insulation body of the plug member.

Barrel 36 has an annular flange" 73 disposedwithin the chamber 69, and there is a collar 74 in the chamber secured to the flange 73 to form the collar and the barrel asa unitary structure. The collar has an inside cylindrical recess 75 and the collar is of an axial length which is less than that of the chamber 69 whereby the collar and the end portion of the barrel are movable axially in the chamber. Rotation of the collar within the casingis prevented by means of a longitudinally extending slot 76 formed in the collar andengaged by a pin 77 in the housing. A coil spring 78 urges the collar forwardly in the housing to abut against the inside surface of the front wallof the housing. An O-ring 79 around the barrel and within the front wall of the housing serves as a suitable seal permitting axial movement of the barrel with respect to the housing.

A tubular shaft 82 extends coaxially in the barrel. It

recess 75' of the collar, there being an O-ring 84 in a circumferential groove in the flange whereby the collar may move axially with respect to the flange 83 as a cylinder around a piston. The shaft has a circumferentially arranged series of ports 85 formed therein adjacent the flange 83' to admit fluid from within the shaft to the recess .75 whereby fluid pressure in that space in the recess to the right of the flange 83, as viewed in FIGS. 3 and 7, will force the collar in a right-hand direction against the pres sure of the coil spring 78, thereby to move the barrel rear wardly over the shaft.

The shaft 82 is'rotatable on its long axis within the barrel, there being a-hand wheel 88 secured as with a pin forwardly in its shaft. The springs 58 of the receptacle.

cylindrical gasket to be engaged by the hose nipple 93.

In the front end of the shaft there is a piston 97 having an O-ring 98 which prevents pressure fluid within the shaft from passing around the piston. A coil spring 99 hearing at one end against the piston and at its other end against a pin 1% urges the piston forwardly in the shaft so that when the spring is extended, the piston extends out in a rod portion 101 through an end opening 102 of the shaft. The forward end portion of the shaft is made to a smaller outside diameter at N3 for accommodating an annular cam 1% which extends inwardly from the barrel adjacent the forward end of the barrel and has a chamfered shoulder 165. As best shown in FIGS. 7 and 9, the forward end portion of the shaft has two slots or key-ways 106 formed therein as segments of a circle on chords 187 which are parallel to each other. The slots extend radially inwardly of the shaft in a plane normal to the axis of the shaft, and they receive respective keys 1% which are likewise formed as segments of a circle. The keys 108 become disposed outwardly in their key-ways by the rod portion of the piston Q7 when 7 the rod portion is positioned between the keys.

The release mechanism also includes a stud 111 which is adapted to be held in the forward end of the shaft for interengaging the receptacleand plug members of the connector and to be ejected from the shaft for disengaging the contact elements of the connector members. To this end the stud has a stem portion 112, which may be made square in cross section as appears in FIG. 8, and it slides axially Within the forward end opening 102 of the shaft. A groove 113 extends around the stem portion to receive the keys 1% when the stem portion is positioned in the forward end of the shaft. The stud 111 has a screw-threaded shank portion 114 which mates in a tapped axial bore of a plug 115. The plug is externally screw-threaded at 116 for securing the same in an opening extending through the center of the movable insulation block 49 ofthe receptacle member. The plug has a skirt portion 117 defining a counterbore 118 for accommodating axial movement therein of a disk portion 119 of the stud. Such skirt portion "is axially slidable in a bore 12%) passing centrally through the stationary insulation body of the receptacle member, there being an Q-ring 121 in the insulation body and around the skirt portion to form a seal against flow of gas or liquid into the receptacle.

When it is desired to interengage the socket terminals 18 and 19 to form closed circuits with the pin terminals of the plug member, the release mechanism 35, with its stud 111 secured in the forward end thereof, is passed through the insulation body of the plug. The shaft and stud are then rotated with hand wheel 88 to interengage the screw threads of the stud with those of the plug 115, thereby to draw the receptacle toward the stationary insulation body to interengage respective contacts 18 and 19.

For the purpose of operating the release mechanism manually to breakcontact between the contact elements 18 and 19, there is provided a lanyard 125 which passes tbrough'holes 126 in the housing of the release mecha-' nism, the lanyard being secured at its ends to the collar 7% of the barrel as by enlargements 127 which are received in suitable recesses 128 in the collar. A pull on the lanyard will move the collar and barrel unit rearwardly over the shaft 82 whereby the cam 164 will be moved to the right of the keys 108 allowing the keys to be shifted radially outwardly in their respective keyways. The spring 929 in the shaft constantly urges the piston 97 forwardly in theshaft, andwhen the cam 104 no longer surrounds the keys, the keys will be forced radially outwardly from their key-ways thereby to re lease the stud 111 and allow the piston 97 to be driven then expand tomove' the insulation body 4l9 rearwardly 75 from the stationary insulation body ofthe receptacle,

movable insulation body 49 of the thereby to disconnect the cbntacts 18 from the contacts 19. i

To again load the release mechanism, i.e. secure the stud in the forward end of the shaft, the stud is removed from the plug 115 after which it may then be'secured in the end of the shaft by pressing the same axially inward until the grooves 113 become aligned with the keys 103. The chamfered shoulder 105 on the cam 104 will then press the keys radially forward to engage in the grooves 113 thus to secure the stud and the shaft.

The release mechanism is adapted to be operated by fluid pressure (hydraulic, pneumatic and explosive) entering the mechanism through a hose 130 on the end of nipple 93, such fluid pressure passing through theports to within the collar recess 75 for moving the collar and barrel unit rearwardly over the shaft similarly as with the lanyard. Such fluid pressure also acts directly upon the piston 97 to force the piston forwardly in the shaft, there being shoulders 131 and 132 in the shaft and on the piston respectively for preventing the piston from being ejected from the shaft.

While the instant invention has been shown and described herein, in what is conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is recognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the invention, which is therefore not to be limited to the details disclosed herein, but is to be accorded the full scope of the claims.

What I claim is:

1. An electrical connector comprising a receptacle member and a plug member, each member having a shell and a fixed body of insulation material mounted in its shell, one shell having a movable body of insulation material therein, means in said one shell for biasing said movable body away from the fixed body of said one shell, each of said bodies of said one shell having a contact element mounted therein, said contact elements being aligned whereby they become interconnected to close a circuit when said bodies of said one shell are drawn toward each other, and a release mechanism comprising a barrel extending through the other shell and having an open forward end, a stud secured in said movable body and in axial alignment with the barrel, a tubular shaft disposed coaxially in the barrel, the barrel and the shaft being longitudinally slidable relative to each other, the forward end portion of the shaft having a slot formed therein open to the inside audoutside of the shaft, a key slidable in the slot in a radial direction with respect to the shaft, the key being engageable with the inside of the barrel, said stud being engageable with said key in the shaft, and means for moving the barrel and shaft longitudinally relative to each other to release the key from engagement with the stud whereby said biasing means separates the movable body from the fixed body of said one shell to break said circuit.

2. An electrical connector according to claim 1 in which the stud is screw-threaded in said movable body and said release mechanism is rotatable on the axis of its barrel whereby when the stud is engaged in the shaftand the release mechanism is rotated the movable body will be drawn toward the fixed body of said one shell to interconnect said contact elements.

3. Mechanism comprising a barrel open at a forward end thereof, a tubular shaft open at a forward end thereof and disposed coaxially in the barrel, the barrel and the shaft being longitudinally slidable relative to each other, a piston slidable in the shaft and having a rod portion adapted to extend through the forward end opening of the shaft, the forward end portion of the shaft having a slot formed therein open to the inside and outside of the shaft, a key slidable in the slot in a radial direction with respect to the shaft, the forward end portion of the barrel having a cam projecting inwardly thereof, the forward end portion of the shaft having a recess formed in the outside thereof for accommodating movement of the cam in the recess when the barrel and the shaft are moved axially with respect to each other, the radial dimension of the key being greater than the distance between the inside surface of the cam and the inside surface of said tubular shaft, a stud having a stem portion adapted to be inserted in the forward end opening of the shaft, the stern portion having a recess formed therein for engagement by said key, and means for imparting relative axial movement to the barrel and the shaft whereby the cam releases the key and thereby the stud and allowing the piston to force the stud out from the shaft.

4. Mechanism according to claim 3 in which said means is pressure responsive and comprises a collar on the barrel and around the shaft, the collar having an annular recess formed on the inside thereof, a piston flange on the shaft slidable in the collar recess, and the shaft having a port formed therein for admitting pressure fluid into said collar recess to move the shaft flange.

5. Mechanism according to claim 3 in which said means is manually operable, comprising a pull member secured to the barrel for manually moving the barrel reltive to the shaft.

6. An electrical connector comprising a receptacle member and a plug member, each member having a body, a pair of complementary contact elements mounted in the bodies respectively and adapted to complete an electrical circuit through the connector when one contact element is connected to the other, a stud secured in one of said members, a barrel mounted in the other said member and having an open forward end, said stud and barrel being axially aligned, a tubular shaft disposed coaxially in the barrel, the barrel and the shaft being longitudinally slidable relative to each other, the forward end portion of the shaft having a slot formed therein open to the inside and outside of the shaft, a key slidable in the slot in a radial direction with respect to the shaft, the key being engageable with the inside of the barrel, said stud being engageable with said key in the shaft, and release means for moving the barrel and shaft longitudinally relatively to each other to release the. key from engagement with the stud to permit separation of said members.

7. An electrical connector according to claim 6' in which said stud is screw-threaded in said one member, and said shaft is rotatably mounted in said other member, the stud connection in said forward end portion of the shaft being non-rotatable, whereby when the stud is locked in the shaft and the shaft is rotated the members will be drawn together toward their engaged position.

8. An electrical connector according to claim 6 which includes means in said tubular shaft operatively engage- .able with said stud for ejecting said stud from said recess when said key is moved to its said release position, to separate said members and thereby break said circuit.

9. An electrical connector according to claim 8 in which said ejecting means comprises a spring.

10. An electrical connector according to claim 8 in which said ejecting means comprises a piston slidable in said tubular shaft' and fluid pressure means operatively connected to said tubular shaft for sliding said piston to eject said stud from said tubular shaft.

11. An electrical connector comprising a receptacle member and a. plug member, each member having a body, a pair of complementary contact elements mounted in the bodies respectively. and adapted to, complete an electrical circuit through the connector when one contact element is connected to the other, a stud screw-threaded in one of said members, a tubular shaft rotatably mounted in said other member and having an open forward end, said stud being operatively engageable in said open forward end of said shaft when said members are in the engaged position, the forward end portion of the shaft having a slot formed therein open to the inside and outside of the shaft, a key slidable in the slot in a radial direction with respect to the shaft, the key being movable between a locking position in which it operatively engages the stud to lock said members together and a release position disengaged from the stud, and means for releasing said key from its said locking position to permit separation of said members, the stud connection in said forward end portion of the'shaft being non-rotatable,'whereby when the stud is locked in the shaft and the shaft is rotated the members will be drawn together toward their engaged position.

12. An electrical connector comprising a receptacle member and a plug member, each member having a body, a pair of complementary contact elements mounted in the bodies respectively and adapted to complete an electrical circuit through the connector when one contact elenient is connected to the other, a stud secured in one of said members, a tubular shaft rncnmted in the other said member and having an openforward end, said stud be- 'respect to the shaft, the key being movable between a locking position in which it-operatively engages the stud to lock said members together and a release position disengaged from the stud, meansro'r" releasingsaid key from its said locking position to permit separation of said members, and means in said tubular shaft operative ly engageable with said stud for ejecting said stud from said open forward end when said key is moved to its said release position, to separate said members and thereby break said circuit. i

13. Anelectr'ical connector comprising a receptacle member and a plug member, each member having a body, a pair of complementary contact elements mounted in the bodies respectively and adapted to complete an electrical circuit through the connector when one Contact element is connected to the other, a stud secured in one of said members, a tubular shaft mounted in the other said member and having an open forward end, said stud being operatively engageable in said open forward end of 1 said shaft when said members are in the engaged posi tion, the forward end portion of the shaft having a slot formed therein open to the inside and outside of the shaft, a key slidable in the slot in a' radial direction with respect to the shaft, the key being movable between a locking position in which it operatively engages the stud to.1ock said members together and a release position disengaged from the stud, means for releasing said key from its said locking position to permit separation of said members, and means. in said tubular shaft operatively engageable with said stud for ejecting said stud from said open forward end when said key is moved to its said release position, to separate said members and thereby break said circuit; said means in said tubular shaft including a spring.

' 14. An electrical connector. comprising a receptacle member and a plug member, each member having a body, a pair of complementary contact elements mounted in the bodies respectively and adapted to complete an electrical circuit through the connector when one contact element is connected to the other, a stud secured in one of said members, a tubular shaft mounted in the other said member and having an open forward end, said stud being operatively engageable in said open forward end of said shaft when said members are in the engaged position, the forward end portion of the shaft having a'slot formed therein open to the inside and outside of the shaft, a key slidable in the slot in a radial direction with respect to the shaft, the key being movable between a locking position in which it operatively engages the stud to lock said members together and a release position disengaged from the stud, means for releasing said key from its said locking position'topermit separation of said members, and means in said tubular shaft operatively engageable with said stud for ejecting said stud from said open forward end when said key is moved to its said release position, to separate said members mounted therein, said contact elements being aligned whereby they become interconnected to close a circuit when the bodies are in a closed circuit position; structure in one of said members; and telescoped locking and ejecting assembly in said other member which engages and releasably locks said structure when said contacts are interconnected tomaintain a closed circuit position until said assembly is activated to separate said members, said telescoped locking and ejecting assembly comprising a tubular shaft, a barrel slidable with respect to said tubular shaft, a key which engages and holds said structure, anda piston located within said tubular shaft which engages said structure to effect the separation of said members.

16. An electrical connector comprising areceptacle member and a plug member, each member having a shell and a fixed body of insulation material mounted in itsshell, each of said bodies having a contact element mounted therein, said contact elements being aligned whereby they become interconnected to close a circuit when the bodies are in a closed circuit position; a stud in one of said members; and telescoped locking and eject- F i ing assembly in said other member WhlCh engages and releasably locks said stud when said contacts are inter: connected to maintain a closed-circuit position until said assembly is activated to separate said members, said telescoped locking and ejecting assembly comprising a tubu tar shaft,'a barrel slidable with respect to said tubular shaft, a key which engages and holds said stud, and a piston locatedwithin said tubular shaft which engages said stud to effect the separation of said members.

17. An electrical connector comprising a receptacle member and a plug member, each member having a body, a pair of complementary contact elements mounted in the bodies respectively and adapted to complete an electrical circuit through-the connector when one con tact element is connected to the other, a studsecured in one of said members, a recess in the other said mem her for receiving said stud when said members are in the engaged position, locking means in the other said mem-' ber releasably engageable with said stud when said members are in the engaged position to r'eleasably lo'ck said members together, a cylinder in said other member, a

piston slidable in said cylinder and engageable with said stud, and fluid pressure means for sliding said piston to eject said stud from said recess when said locking means is released, to separate said members and thereby break the circuit.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 9 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,904,771

De Jur et a1. Feb. 28, 1956 Block May 29, 1956 99574 Baton Dec. 25, 1956 5 37 0 7 707.578

Madison Sept. 23, 1958 10 Burtt et a1. Sept. 15, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS Austria Apr. 10, 1925 Germany Oct. 20, 1936 Germany June 26, 1941 

